1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a switch for light conducting fibers.
2. Prior Art
In optical communication systems, the signals conducted in a light conducting fiber must be able to be influenced. This is effected, for example, with switches by means of which a light conducting fiber can be selectively, optically connected to various other light conducting fibers and enable different communication paths to be interconnected.
A switch of this type is disclosed, for example, in a publication by P. G. Hale, R. Kompfner, Electronics Letters, July 22, 1976, Vol. 12, No. 15, page 388. The switch disclosed in the article has a tube with a square cross sectional passage. The end of the first light conducting fiber is introduced into one end of the tube, and secured with an adhesive so that a free end of the light conducting fiber can be moved transversely within the tube. To enable movement of the free end of the first fiber, a nickel sleeve, which can be influenced by an externally produced magnetic field, is placed on the free end of the first light conducting fiber. The other end of the tube has two second light conducting fibers, which are secured in the tube by an adhesive with their free ends disposed at diagonally opposite corners of the square cross section of the passage. By transverse movement of the free end of the first light conducting fiber, the first light conducting fiber can be optically connected to a selected one of the two second light conducting fibers. To accomplish this, the end face of the first light conducting fiber is brought into a position directly opposite the end face of one of the second light conducting fibers.
Since the light conducting fibers of this switch are mounted or adhered to the tube by an adhesive, the switch is relatively difficult to produce. Furthermore, the switch has a relatively large thickness, which is undesirable in many applications.